I’m not sure if it is the same illness as what has knocked starting linebacker
Jamie Collins out of practice and games the past two weeks, but I now have a better understanding of what landed first-year Patriots defensive end
Rufus Johnson on the reserve/non-football injury list on Oct. 28, ending his season. Those close to Johnson said he got hit with an aggressive stomach virus, which affected his ability to eat and led to him losing significant weight and strength. “It came out of the blue,” one source said. In a sign of how aggressive the virus was, which led to inflammation in the stomach, Johnson is still taking medication as part of his recovery. Between Johnson, a promising prospect who flashed in the preseason, and now Collins, the Patriots have been hit hard by illnesses on defense this year. Collins has already been ruled out Monday against the Bills, which will be the third game in a row he's missed.
